


Hopeful Ashes and Demons

by RedEyedQueen21



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-06
Updated: 2013-11-05
Packaged: 2017-12-14 05:15:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/833164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedEyedQueen21/pseuds/RedEyedQueen21
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles is having a hard time trusting Ms. Blake. There's something about her that he doesn't like. Everyone else seems to love her (especially Derek) and think he's just being crazy. But he was right about Matt, so he has to be right about this.<br/>Right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The sheriff stood slack jawed in front of his son’s bedroom door as he continued to look on as his son went back and forth from his computer on his desk to the mess of papers on his bed.“For the love of God, Stiles!” he shouted as he realized there were pictures of the late Kate Argent and Ms. Blake from Beacon Hills High. “What the hell is all this?”  
Stiles stood half way between his bed and desk, a pen in his mouth as he looked at his dad, he looked half distracted and half surprised. He looked at where his dad was staring at, “This isn’t what it looks like.” He stated with the pen still in his mouth.  
“It looks like your stalking your English teacher.” His dad stepped into his room and looked at the papers on his bed, “Are those Ms. Blake’s college transcripts?” He asked accusingly as he picked one up before Stiles tapped his hand.  
“No, no!” Stiles said hurriedly as he gathered all the papers on his desk and closed his computer before his dad got a decent look at the screen. “I would never do that! Oh come on!” He continued as he saw the questionable look still pasted on his dad’s face. “Why would I?”  
The sheriff was still eying the photos of Kate that were taped on Stile’s walls. “That’s what I want to know.” He knew Stiles wasn’t the type of person to go for something big unless it was important. Regardless of others said about his son, he knew Stiles wasn’t the type to go looking for trouble just for the sake of it, he wanted to find something. It was just two out of three that ‘something’ was really bad. “What is going on?”  
Stiles bit his lip for a second, conflicted about whether or not he should tell his dad. He had told Scott, Isaac, and Boyd about how he was feeling Ms. Blake, but none of them believed them. “I don’t like her.”  
The sheriff furrowed his brows, usually he knew Stiles to be the non petulant type, except with Matt.  
…  
‘Look at how well that ended.’ He has to give Stiles credit where credit was due.  
He still had no idea how Stiles linked all the crimes together with Matt and was absolutely positive that Stiles was involved with Kate Argent’s death in some way, or at least was privy to it.  
The sheriff took one look at his son, he looked distraught and worried, and not to mention anxious. Like he just knew that his own father wouldn’t believe him.  
Maybe that’s why the sheriff was feeling like he and Stiles had been growing more distant lately.  
“Why don’t you like her?”  
Stiles snapped his head up, surprised at his father’s serious and interested tone. “There’s something about her that’s just throwing me off, like she’s not normal. Not like teacher normal.” He turned back to his computer. “First off she’s way too interested in Scott-”  
“Well Scott was failing his studies last year, it would make sense that she’s interested in him keeping up?” The sheriff asked reasonably. He watched Stiles’ face go through waves of emotions and thoughts before shaking his head and going through his papers. “No not that, I mean yeah that make’s sense, but it’s not that. It’s…”  
The sheriff could only look on as Stiles tried to keep going, “Stiles? If you think she’s hurting Scott or someone else, you can tell me.”  
Stiles sighed as he sat down on his chair, “She’s dating Derek.” He mumbled out, finally looking worn out. More worn out than the sheriff had ever seen him.  
“Ms. Blake is dating Derek?” The sheriff asked incredulously, he crossed his arms and shrugged. He could see the two dating, “How did they even meet?”  
Stiles flinched, wiggling in his seat a bit as he turned around to face his computer again, “Isaac, stupid Isaac and the stupid parent teacher meeting thing. Which by the way, she didn’t call me for!”  
The sheriff shrugged again, “You’re not failing English.”  
“Well neither is Lydia, but her parents got called in!”  
“Stiles, where are you going with this? Are you jealous that you’re not dating Ms. Blake?”  
Stiles rolled his eyes and stood up, looking impatient and insulted. “Dad, come on, why would I be interested in Ms. Blake? Yeah, sure she’s beautiful and smart and confident and…” he drifted off as he caught the look on his dad’s face. “Okay, no. I do not have a crush on her. I don’t trust her, nor do I like her.”  
“Stiles, you know I want to believe you, I do. But I need more to go on besides a gut feeling.”  
Stiles looked aghast, “Isn’t that what you always go on though? Police work is all about gut feeling.”  
“Yes,” the sheriff conceded, “but you’re a student making vague threats about a teacher who has no priors or complaints now, unless you count Melissa going gaga about Scott getting A’s on his recent homework. I know you were right about Matt-”  
Stiles raised both hands in the air indignantly, “And I’m right about her! She can’t be trusted and I don’t trust her with Scott, Isaac, Boyd and especially with Derek!” Stiles shouted the last part, his face flushed and his eyes becoming dark and stormy.  
The sheriff paused, looking thoughtfully at his son. “You think she’s out to hurt Derek?”  
Stiles didn’t even turn around to face him; instead he just gave him a short and curt “Yes.”  
“Hmm, what makes you think she’s going to hurt him? Or even could hurt him?”  
Stiles didn’t answer.  
“Stiles?”  
Stiles mumbled something under his breath.  
“What?”  
He heard his son sigh and watched his shoulders drop as he turned around, “It’s the way she looks at him. It’s not girlfriends would look at their boyfriends, it’s-it’s not right.”  
The sheriff nodded, he could understand what Stiles meant. He sat down on the foot of Stiles’ bed. “Okay, anything else?”  
Stiles nodded, “Yeah, she’s always paying attention to Scott, Isaac, Boyd, Lydia, and Allison. Especially Scott and Allison.”  
The sheriff nodded again, trying to understand where his son was coming from. “Okay, why do you think that is?”  
“Scott, Boyd, and Isaac all know Derek in someway-”  
He knew Stiles was being vague and sighed, “As are you if I remember correctly.” He didn’t want to argue with his son now though, “So she’s being friendly with everyone Derek associates with except you, is what you are saying, right?”  
“Yeah.”  
“And you think that why?”  
“Easy, because of you.” Stiles stated simply, “She knows you’re my dad and that I have access to police records and files.”  
“I am your dad and you do not have access to police records and files.” The sheriff deadpanned, he could see where Stiles was getting at though. “So you think she has something to hide and doesn’t want you to get curious about it?”  
“Yeah! I mean Lydia and Allison despise Derek, actually just Allison, Lydia seems to be okay with him. Not surprisingly enough.”  
The sheriff could feel his son about to digress.  
“Stiles?” he waved his hand in front of Stiles’ face. “Your point being?”  
Stiles shook his head, “I thought, okay maybe since I’m one of the good ones maybe she’s not interested in “fixing me” like she is with Scott, but then I noticed how she’s been babying Isaac and Boyd, and then she’s been buttering up Alison and Lydia, taking them shopping, practicing archery, and what not. And then she wormed her way into Derek’s life.”  
If looks could kill the sheriff was sure Ms. Blake would be buried by now, he could feel his face twist in amusement and curiosity, “Stiles, are you jealous?”  
Stiles laughed, “Why the hell would I be jealous of Derek?” he arched his brows, “The guy is one sob story away from being a Ba-“  
The sheriff waved his hands, “I didn’t mean Derek, I meant are you jealous of Ms. Blake?”  
The sheriff watched his son very carefully, watching out for any tick or tell that his son failed to hide. “Stiles?”  
Stiles huffed his annoyed, “Of course I am. Do you know how long I have been searching for a conditioner to make my hair that soft?” He pointed to his own hair, “This look is not an easy up keep.”  
God, his son was almost perfect at deflecting and avoiding. He would make one hell of a detective.  
Or a master mind criminal.  
“Stiles, you know what I meant.”  
“Yeah, I do.”  
“So?” The sheriff got up from his spot finally and walked over to Stiles, “Are you?”  
Stiles looked at his dad for a few seconds, studying him closely before answering. “Did you know Kate Argent was a teacher?”  
The sheriff sighed, filing away the failed conversation for another day, “Yes, I know that.”  
“Do you know where she studied?” Stiles asked softly. He handed his dad the copy of Ms. Blake’s college transcripts. “Ms. Blake went to Smith College, but there’s like a five year gap between when she graduated and when she got her first teaching job.” He passed over a copy of her resume and bank statements.  
The sheriff was going to ignore that one for now because this was interesting.  
“She paid off all her school loans? In five years while living in New York and London?” the sheriff asked more to himself than at Stiles. There was no way anyone could do that unless they made it big. “Can anyone do that?”  
Stiles shrugged, “Not with a teaching degree, otherwise Harris would been in a better mood all last year.” He gritted out the name of his old chemistry teacher.  
“So what does this have to Kate-” Stiles handed him more papers this time copies of Kate Argent’s passport. He squinted at the tiny print and realized there were stamp dates from London that matched the time Ms. Blake had spent in London. “Oh God.”  
Stiles looked surprisingly not smug; he began twisting the ends of his shirt between his fingers. “Remember the dirty cop that was trying to get to Isaac?”  
“Yeah?”  
“Maybe there’s more than one of them working at other places.”  
This time the sheriff was eyeing Stiles hard. That didn’t sound like a question, it sounded more like a fact. Which meant…  
“How much is Chris Argent not telling me?”  
Stiles shifted, his face growing paler as the tone of his father dropped to icicles. “That depends…”  
“On what?” The sheriff half shouted.  
“On how much you already know.”  
The sheriff let out a loud and frustrated groan, running his fingers through his hair before letting his arms fall to his sides. “Okay, listen to me Stiles, I’m going to find out what the connection is between Ms. Blake and the Argents, because in all honesty, I really don’t like where this is heading.” He pointed to the copies of the Hale arson that Stiles was failing to hide under his laptop. “and second I want to know the real reason why everything has been going up side nuts since Hale and the Argents came into town.”  
He expected Stiles to fight back or deny that the growing weirdness was not due to Hale and the Argents. Instead Stiles rubbed his face tirelessly, his light brown eyes looked shiny and sunken in.  
He looked like hell.  
Whatever was going on with his son, it was sucking the life out of him.  
“Stiles?”  
It was so un-Stiles not to jump back or at least argue.  
“Just do what you have to do dad. Okay?”  
The sheriff lost his gusto as he saw Stiles deflate further, “Just do whatever you have to do to protect them.” He gave the rest of his finding to his dad.  
The sheriff took them all and only nodded mutely at his son before kissing his son on his head, “Go to bed, alright.”  
Amazingly enough Stiles did so without protest.  
Whatever was haunting Stiles it was doing a good job.  
He looked down at the picture of Ms. Jennifer Blake, “I don’t know what you are up to, but whatever it is, you better not hurt anyone involved with my son.” He whispered menacingly at the photo.  
TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Sheriff hated his gut feelings, they never led to anything good or sane.

Perk’s Diner was a small sit in café a town away from Beacon Hills. It had decent food, excellent cheeseburgers really, which was the only reason why the sheriff even considered the almost two hour drive. It was the only place where Stiles hadn’t bribed and suckered the staff into blocking his father from eating his favorite things.  
It happened three weeks prior to him discovering Stiles’ mistrust in Ms. Blake. He saw a man sitting across the diner in a booth by himself. The man looked to be in his mid thirties, dark slicked back hair and a goatee. His blue eyes seem to gloss over at the people staring at him.  
The man almost looked empty.  
The Sheriff couldn’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu when he saw the man. He looked so damn familiar. It had bugged him for a week straight. The tiny voice inside his mind kept telling him that he did know the man, that he had at least seen him before.  
But when?  
During the days that followed the Sheriff’s tiny voice grew louder and more forceful. He knew the man.  
He just knew it.  
He made some phone calls regarding a missing person case. He had called the hospital and checked in with the Department of Justice for any updates.  
The Sheriff for the life of him couldn’t understand how a hospital could miss a body. ‘How does a comatose man burnt to a crisp just get up and disappear without anybody realizing it?’ The sheriff thought to himself as he and one of his deputies pulled up video from the hospital the day Peter Hale went missing.  
“I don’t understand who would hack into a hospital security cameras and just get rid of everything?” Lieutenant Shonda asked astounded that not even the cameras outside the hospital had caught anything. “Was Hale’s nurse ever found?”  
The Sheriff sighed and tossed the missing person report on Nurse Jennifer Waters onto his desk. “Nothing, she just disappeared as well.” He massaged his temples to sooth the appending migraine, “So far all that we got from her colleagues was that she was deeply invested in Peter Hale’s heath.”  
Shonda face twisted in slight disgust at that, “As much sense as that makes it doesn’t add up to anything we have found so far.”  
The Sheriff nodded grimly at his desk, all of Miss Water’s bank and credit card statements stated none of her money was touched, she had no secret bank account since she had a direct deposit from the hospital, and they could find nothing missing from her apartment. “Yeah, I know.” His eyes rested on the Hale family arson file.  
Shonda noticed his gazing, “That’s a sad way to end. To be the only survivor of your family’s death and not get any peace about who might have done it.” Her voice became wistful as the Sheriff rested his hand on top of the file, hesitant to really test his hypothesis. “Maybe it’s true what they say about death and ghosts, we never truly pass till we get closure.” Shonda added thoughtfully as she looked at Kate Argent’s file. “Maybe that’s what he wants.”  
The Sheriff looked at her for a moment, eyebrows raised and doubtful, “You honestly don’t believe that Peter Hale is alive and is looking for the person who killed his family, do you?”  
Shonda shrugged, “If you had asked me that question two years ago I would have said ‘no’. Now? I’m honestly not so sure.” She got up to put Kate Argent’s file back, leaving the Sheriff with his own thoughts.  
‘I was afraid of that.’ He took a deep breath, knowing full well that the picture inside the plain manila envelope could end up being the catalyst for him retiring early and being committed. The Sheriff took another deep breath and pulled out the picture inside.  
“Damn it.”  
It was two days after Stiles admitted to not trusting Ms. Blake with Derek. He had visited Perk’s a few times since his discovery, but had yet to approach Peter. He had no idea where to start, with this case or with Peter’s case.  
The Sheriff was honestly missing the days of domestic disturbance calls and armed robbery.  
Hell, plain people killing people seemed comforting compared to this mind trip.  
The diner was busy during it’s usual lunch rush. People, everyday people, a few he realized where from Beacon Hills passed Peter Hale.  
How did no one notice a missing former third degree burnt comatose victim right in front of them?!  
The Sheriff willed himself not to become too enraged, he honestly was having a hard time believing that the man sitting twelve feet to his right was in fact Peter Hale.  
But pictures don’t lie.  
Without the other man’s permission the Sheriff slid into the booth, nonchalantly plucking the special’s menu from its holder and glancing at it. “So Hale, what do you usually get?”  
The Sheriff didn’t want to admit that seeing the lack of shock of being recognized disappointed him because it meant that Peter didn’t care about being caught.  
He knew it was going to be impossible to get caught.  
“Sheriff, I was wondering when you were finally going to join me. I was growing rather tired of your staring. It was a bit uncomfortable.” Peter said kindly, a faint smile on face. His eyes, however, still remained empty.  
“So is this conversation.” The Sheriff mumbled into his hands as he rubbed his face.  
Peter chuckled, “You don’t seem surprise to see me.”  
The Sheriff paused, still panicking a bit but excited that his guess was correct. “I passed surprised a couple of days ago, I’m at ‘I need a vacation’ level now.”  
Peter laughed out loud this time, his smile growing wider. The Sheriff ignored the shiver going down his spine as he noticed Peter’s eyes finally getting some life back into him. “I can see where Stiles gets his sense of humor from, not to mention his cleverness.”  
The Sheriff groaned, “Do I want to ask how and why you know Stiles?” The Sheriff was starting wonder if he truly did want to know what was going on in his son’s life. No doubt it wasn’t drugs or gangs, but it was something dangerous if it involved arsonists and murders.  
“He and I are friends, though if you were to ask him, he might say differently.” Peter admitted, he smiled politely at the waitress who took their order and waited till she was out of hearing range to look back at the Sheriff.  
“How are you and my son friends? And on top of that, why would he say differently?”  
Peter quirked his brow, he looked thoughtful for a bit, looking like he was thinking about the weight of his words. “Our beginnings are what you may call tumultuous. I was angry, upset, and not in my right mind.” Peter looked down at his hands for a while before finally looking back at the Sheriff, “How did you figure out that I was still alive?”  
The Sheriff realized he hadn’t gotten his answers yet. “You still haven’t told me how you know my son. So till I get some answers I’m not answering you.”  
Peter smiled, he looked somewhat impressed, “I can see a lot of him in you, you realize that?” he paused again, “Stiles and I had an unfortunate meeting when I tried to kill the people responsible for killing my family. I forced him into helping me since he seems to know everything about everything. He seemed connected to my nephew who was-”  
“Dating the woman who killed your family.” The Sheriff finished, he waited to continue speaking as the waitress came back with their order. “How did you know it was her that killed your family?”  
Peter waved his knife at him playfully, “If you insist on us playing this game, then you will have to answer one of my questions: How did you figure out that I was still alive?”  
The Sheriff waited a beat to answer, swallowing a bite from his double cheeseburger with the works. “You suck at hiding.”  
Peter rolled his eyes, “At least I know Stiles will never grow out his ability to use sarcasm charmingly.” He appraised the Sheriff for a moment, making the Sheriff shift a bit in his seat. “He must get his heart from his mother.” The comment was said without any malice; it was just an honest acknowledgment that made the Sheriff look at Peter with new eyes.  
“He does.” The Sheriff said uneasy, taking a sip of his soda hoping it would get rid of the lump starting to form in his throat.  
“I’m sorry.” Peter said solemnly.  
The Sheriff shook his head, “No, no.” he coughed, “It’s something…something that I know you must understand more than I do.”  
Peter nodded, “You wanted to know how I knew Kate Argent killed my family?”  
The Sheriff was thankful for the change of topic, “Yes, did you just know?”  
“No, I didn’t even know she was dating Derek at that time.” He sighed, “To be honest Sheriff the things I had to do to find out who killed my family is something I cannot accept just yet.”  
The Sheriff could feel his back stiffen as he saw the Peter’s eyes dull again, “What do you mean?” he leaned forward when Peter didn’t respond. The man before him looked empty and so small, “Peter?” he called out gently as if he were talking to a child, “What did you do?”  
“I killed Laura.” Peter’s voice cracked, his blue eyes shined with tears as his hands held tightly to the table. The Sheriff knew he was shaking.  
“You cut your own niece in half?”  
Peter frowned, “That was the Argents’ doing.”  
“Argents’? More than one of them?”  
Peter nodded.  
The Sheriff cursed, hitting the table hard with his fists with enough force that it startled Peter. “I knew Chris Argent was lying.”  
Peter chuckled sourly, “It’s their business to lie and to kill.”  
“But to kill innocent people?” The Sheriff shook his head in disgust, “What would compel a person, much less a whole family to do that?” he asked.  
Peter looked at him, this time he looked hopeful and conflicted.  
(The Sheriff was having a hard time not letting himself become understanding to Peter’s plight.)  
“We’re not innocent to them and we weren’t to Kate either. I killed Laura in rage because she had access to something I needed.”  
The Sheriff pursed his lip. That was vague as hell.  
Peter laughed full heartedly this time, “I guess that led to more questions than it answered.” He smiled easily as the Sheriff buried his face into his hands.  
“How did you guess?” The Sheriff asked bitingly.  
“Stiles does the same thing when you tell him something he knows is a lie or too vague.”  
That made the Sheriff more nervous. How much time was Stiles spending with Peter that Peter knew Stile’s mannerisms?  
“How do you even know that?”  
Peter slowly took a bite out of his sandwich, making the pause seem dramatic. “He spends a lot of time with Derek, I just watch from the sidelines.”  
The Sheriff was physically feeling his patience thinning. He should really just stick to the reason that finally brought him here.  
“So you wouldn’t happen to know how Stiles feels about Ms. Blake then, would you?”  
He watched Peter scrunch his brow, “I know he doesn’t like her. I have yet to meet the woman; something about scaring her off is making Derek hesitant to introduce her to me.” The last part was added on as a joke.  
“I don’t see why, a lovely undead person like yourself, you’re a delight to talk to.”  
Peter chuckled, “You know what Sheriff? I’m honestly smitten by this budding relationship. We should hang out more often.”  
“No.”  
Peter leaned back, “At least Stiles pretends to entertain the idea.” He murmured underneath his breath, seemingly dishearten.  
The Sheriff didn’t even want to go there, “Stiles seems to think that Ms. Blake is going to hurt Derek.”  
Peter frowned, a look of worry passed over his features, “What?”  
“If what you say is true about spending time with my son is right, than you know how inquisitive he can get, especially with people he cares about like Scott and-”  
“Derek.” Peter finished for him.  
The Sheriff blinked in surprise. “Actually I was going to say Lydia, but okay.”  
Peter pressed his lips together, looking even more worried, “If Stiles thinks she is a threat than something must be off with her.”  
The Sheriff could feel his guilt as a father rise exponentially, he couldn’t believe his son and the man in front of him-this formerly severed burnt comatose patient who had no former connection to them- had so much faith in his own son.  
“What makes you think Stiles is right about this?” The Sheriff asked genuinely curious.  
“He loves Derek too much to let anything happen to him.”  
The impact of emotions, so much honesty and appreciation, in the sentence was just as shocking as the sentence itself.  
The Sheriff cleared his throat, “What do you mean by love?”  
Peter looked disappointingly at him, “As in love, Sheriff, your son loves my nephew. I can see it, it’s what healing Derek.”  
The Sheriff gritted his teeth, “Jesus Christ. Could you be any more vague? How is it healing Derek? And wouldn’t he be healing from dating Ms. Blake?”  
Peter rolled his eyes at him again, “No, not at all. I think by dating Ms. Blake a bit of the old Derek is coming back.”  
He could see the fear etched in Peter’s face; at least they were both scared about history repeating itself. And Peter didn’t even know about what Stiles found.  
“I think with Stiles though Derek is getting his humanity back.” Peter folded his hands together, a small smile of wonderment on his face, “I could see it during the summer,” he looked at the Sheriff momentarily, “Stiles was helping Derek on a few research projects while Scott was in summer school. He suddenly seemed to trust again, to actually care instead of being his former guilt ridden self.”  
The Sheriff understood, “Derek thought his family dying was his fault.” God, the Hale family had so much baggage and guilt, that even the Sheriff was starting to feel stifled by it. “He didn’t know what Kate had planned though, did he?”  
“No.” Peter let out a deep breath, “He had no idea. Kate Argent was quote on quote his “first love”.” He said the last word with enough heat and malice that the Sheriff could feel the hate waft over to him.”But I can see it now; he is starting to open his heart.”  
“If Stiles is right, then he could be in danger, more than just his heart this time Peter.” The Sheriff warned.  
Peter’s eyes never left his as he called for the waitress to bring him the check. “If I know Stiles, for which I do, I doubt that even for a second that he would let anyone or thing hurt Derek, even Derek himself. He wouldn’t allow it. And neither would you.”  
The Sheriff looked on unimpressed while Peter paid for both their lunches (with cash he noticed), “You sound awfully sure of yourself there.”  
Peter hummed in smugness, “Sheriff, I’m surprised at you. Never doubt something so simple and yet undeniably powerful as human love.”*  
The Sheriff could feel the weight of the words hang in the air. Peter didn’t know him at all, but he knew that the Sheriff and Stiles had too big of a heart and loved too much. He tapped his fingers against the table before getting up, “Well this has been interesting, I would have you arrested for murder but you seem to have bought yourself a permanent ‘get out of jail free’ card.” He gave Peter one final nod, “I’ll be in touch.”  
Peter smiled back, looking more hopeful than the Sheriff wanted to admit, “Please do. I’m looking forward to our next lunch date.”  
The Sheriff refused to flinch, “Sure.” He said simply as he started to walk, but Peter called him out. “Yes?”  
“You should really talk to Stiles, about everything that you are questioning yourself about. I know you realize the town is different and that Stiles seems to be in the front lines, but…” Peter looked flustered for a second, “I know it’s probably hard for you. You probably can’t shake that imagine of him out of your mind, that last image you had of him of being just your boy. Six years old and so full of life and questions and love. Those big beautiful eyes just looking up at you like you're superman, that you can protect him from anything and anyone.”  
The Sheriff could feel his eyes sting, his mind flew back to the Hale arson report and remembered that the second youngest to be killed was a six year old named Emerson.  
Peter’s son.  
He could feel his chest tighten with compassion as he continued to watch Peter look down at the table, eyes yet again devoid of any emotion. Except pain.  
He could finally understand why Peter seemed so focus on Stiles. He was son that Peter never had the chance to raise.  
“That’s how I always see him.” He rested his contact card on top of the table, “Next time beers on me.” He offered, only to be met with a disapproving face staring back at him.  
Peter pushed the card towards the Sheriff, “I don’t want your pity.”  
The Sheriff pushed the card back, “You have my trust.”  
He walked away without turning to see Peter’s reaction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love that quote from Peter in the second season.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Sheriff knows there is a connection, he can see. He can't just see why though.

The Sheriff groaned in frustration into his cup of luke warm coffee as he looked over the files and pictures of Kate Argent, Jennifer Blake, and Jennifer Waters. He could see the connection; something was there-a connection to the Hales obviously. But none of it made sense. Why would three women with no other connection (besides Argents’ money) want with the Hales. What was so special about them?

The Sheriff thought back to Peter…

“Okay, there is something I am definitely missing.” The Sheriff groaned again into hands as he pushed away the photos and files.

“Talking to yourself means the case is already getting to you.” The Sheriff perked up to see Lieutenant Shonda at his door, another cup of hot coffee in her hand.

“Please, no more coffee. Unless it’s filled with three-forth vodka.” The Sheriff mused leaning back into his chair.

Shonda smirked, “Just one packet of Splenda and skim milk.” She watched the Sheriff make a face. “Stiles would hunt me down if he knew I gave you coffee with real sugar and cream.” She informed him as he made another face, choking down the coffee. 

She looked at the papers and sighed as she pulled her chair next to him, “No luck yet.” She stated as she pulled out more files of Jennifer Water’s bank file when she was living in New York-the same time Kate Argent and Jennifer Blake were too.

“I just don’t get why these three women would be after the Hales. Kate Argent was so determined to hunt them down she killed them all, even tried to kill Derek.” He could feel his fingers grow cold as he recalled what Stiles told him about Kate Argent after he confronted Stiles about meeting Peter and what Peter meant to Stiles. “She was so adamant to finish the job she started years ago. Jennifer Waters, according to Peter Hale, seemed to want to bargain with him. And with Blake…Stiles believes she wants to hurt him.” He sighed, “To be honest I starting to see a connection I just don’t see a motive.”

A loud knock jotted the Sheriff and Shonda from their thoughts. “Come in.” Shonda ordered, eyes never moving from the reports in front of her.

One of the rookie officers came in, officer Jones was a two years out from training and seemed a bit shy around the Sheriff. Especially around complicated case like this one. “I found some interesting stuff about your suspect Jennifer Waters.” Jones told them as she dropped the thick manila envelope on the table steadily. “When you mentioned that she resided in New York I had made a few calls to my friends at 1P.”

“And?” The Sheriff asked, slightly annoyed.

“Jennifer Waters and Jennifer Blake are really Katherine Cybil and Julia Baccari.”

The Sheriff frowned, his brain triggering back to something he had read from a report before. “Cybil?” he looked over his reports, “Cybil?” He found it, the DOA report on Victoria Argent. “Victoria Argent, Maiden name- Cybil.” He tossed the sheet away, “Katherine was a relative.”

“Her niece.”

The Sheriff cursed, as Shonda looked over the new files, “And this Miss Baccari?”

Jones licked her lips, looking a bit nervous. “She graduated with Kate Argent from the same high school.” The Sheriff raised his hands to stop her.  “Then Gerard Argent stepped in.” he had seen the bank account statements that were created for Jennifer Blake, he and Shonda had found that it was the Argent yet again fueling Blake’s account.

Again why and what for.

He still didn’t know.

“Are these women involved in a smuggling ring or something?” Jones asked as she noticed how the new information dampened the Sheriff’s energy. “What have they been accused off? So far two of the three are dead. Why are you looking into Baccari?”

The Sheriff glanced at Shonda, unsure if he could trust anyone now to tell them about this case. “Possible murder charge and attempted murder.” The Sheriff informed her.

“Who’s the victim or victims?”

“The Hales, the attempted would be Derek Hale.” Shonda told her.

Jones’ dark eyes widened and then squinted, her mouth going into a straight line. “As in Derek Elan Hale?” Jones asked, worry etched into her face.

“I take it by that look you know of the Hale fire then?” Shonda asked.

“No.” Jones shook her head and then nodded, “Well, yeah, I heard about it when I moved here. But I know Hale.”

The Sheriff sat up straight in his chair, he knew Jones was from New Jersey, trained with the Brooklyn Police depart. He just never expected to that two people would connect in such a big city.

“How? How do you know Derek Hale?” The Sheriff questioned her seriously, a bit interested and a worried if he was introducing someone who could later hurt Derek and Stiles.

Jones stepped back, a little taken back at his harsh tone. “I-I don’t know him too well. I-we went to the same school for training.”

“Training for what?”

Jones looked at them, “For crisis medical training and first responders training.” She told them, taking in their confused faces. “I take it by your expressions that you didn’t know that Derek Hale is a trained and certified EMT.” She raised her brow as she stood under their scrutinizing gaze.

Shonda frowned; she clasped her fingers together in front of her. “I know I’m going to regret asking this, but you wouldn’t happen to know where Derek’s unit reported to the most, would you?”

“Um, I remember a buddy of mine being patterned with Hale. I think he and Hale reported to mostly hospitals in lower Manhattan.”

“Would one of them be by any chance be Presbyterian Hospital?” Shonda repeated, clearly agitated next to her the Sheriff looked impatient and worried, rubbing his face tersely.   

Jones nodded, a knowing pout on her face.

“Katherine Cybil kept watch on Derek Hale; she was the Argent’s watch dog.” The Sheriff concluded, his hands turning into fists, “She was at Presbyterian Hospital for training as a nurse. She knew Derek was there. God only knows what other connections the Argents have.” He pulled out copies of Katherine’s bank account. “She bought plenty of tickets from here to New York and back again.”

Shonda nodded, “She was meeting up and keeping track.”

“But why?” The Sheriff asked angry and confused, “Why the Hales, why would the Argents spend all that money and power on a family that never did anything to them? That never hurt them or harmed them in any way? What are the Argents hiding that they want the Hales dead so badly that they would hunt them down like animals?” He could feel his blood pressure rise as he looked at mug shots of the Argents and some of their associates. He could find nothing negative about the Hales, except for some old parking tickets and of course the fire. But other than that. Nothing. 

“Whatever it is, it has Stiles worried about him.” Shonda answered tired over the matter, she looked at Julia’s file. “What are you going to tell him?”

The Sheriff massaged his head, “I-I don’t know. I can’t tell him his teacher is a double agent; I can’t arrest her, at least not for murder on the Hales without a motive and more evidence. So far we have nothing we can really arrest her on.” He snapped his attention back to Jones, “Would Hale recognize you if he saw you today?”

Jones chewed on her bottom lip before answering, “I don’t believe so, no he wouldn’t.”  
The Sheriff nodded and stood up, grabbing his coat along the way. “Congratulation Officer Jones, you’ll now be on Derek Hale watch on all times until further notice.” He pointed a warning finger at her, “Any move he makes, anyone he speaks to, I don’t care if it’s his uncle or my own son, I want to know about it. As far as I’m concerned he’s under the protective watch of the Beacon Hills County Sheriff Department now. Do you understand?”  
Jones nodded, “Yes Sir.” Making room aside for the Sheriff and Shonda to leave before her.

“And where are we going?”  Shonda asked hurried as she followed him out of the station.

“We are going to speak to Argent, it’s finally time I get to the bottom with what he and his family have been doing and then you and I are going to go talk to a dead man.” The Sheriff told her as they got into the squad car.

“Sheriff?” Shonda looked scared for his mental health as he waved her off. He put up both his hands to show her he was alright for the most part.

“I owe someone beers, let’s just say that.”

Shonda rolled her eyes as the Sheriff started the car, “I miss the old days of simple bank robberies and murders.”

The Sheriff nodded glumly as he peeled out of the lot, “Me too.”

_Beacon Hills High School…_

“You know you could always just kill her, make it more obvious that you don’t like her.” Boyd stated as he sat down across from Stiles in the cafeteria. He opened his packet of yogurt and dug in, making a go on motion with his hands.

“I don’t like her.” Stiles simply stated.

“And she clearly doesn’t like  you.” Boyd retorted.

Stiles blinked, fumbling with his sandwich a bit before being able to set it down and moving his hands back and forth. “You-you noticed?!” he almost shrieked, he had been begging Scott, Lydia, and Isaac to see how Blake always seems to ostracized him from any of her little “get together” with the Hale pack. But no one seemed to notice that Blake seemed to barely tolerate Stiles. “Everyone thought I over reacting!”

Boyd swallowed a spoonful of strawberry yogurt, “You’re not, she’s a bit antsy whenever Cora or I mention you. I don’t like her and neither does Cora.”

Stiles burrowed his brows,that took him by surprise, Cora and Blake always seemed so chummy. Even Derek was going on about how happy he was that his two favorite girls were getting along.  “So wait, is –is Cora’s putting up a front?” Stiles could feel himself vibrating in his seat; he had allies now, not just his father and Peter. But Boyd and Cora, maybe now he could figure out why Blake gave him such a bad vibe.

Boyd looked at him as if he were stupid, “Yeah, you think she would actually go shopping with Blake and Lydia willingly? She needs to keep an eye on Blake constantly.” Boyd looked around the room to see Scott and the others talking amongst themselves, he waved Stiles over. “C’mon.” he plucked the can of soda out of Stiles’ hand.

“Hey!”

Boyd gave him a menacing patent “Hale Glare”. Stiles pointed to his face, “You’ve been spending way too much time with Derek and Cora if you can emulate their expressions.”

Boyd ignored him, looking back at Scott’s table to make sure they hadn’t been overheard. “There’s something else.” He whispered to Stiles. “Let’s go.”

 Stiles picked up his back bag and followed Boyd out of the crowded cafeteria, slowly and calmly so as not to look like there were up to anything. “We can’t let Scott know about this.”Boyd told him as they walked to the boiler room.

Stiles looked around the deserted hallway that led to the boiler room. He swallowed the lump of fear starting to form in throat, “Know about what? What shouldn’t we tell him?” Stiles asked alarmed as Boyd opened the door to the room.

“About Blake’s scent.” Cora’s voice answered out of no where.

“HOLY GOD!” Stiles shouted as Cora stepped into the muted light, a small smile on her lips. Stiles gasped as his breathing became labored. He pulled out his inhaler.

“Didn’t mean to scare you there Stiles, but we figured this was the best way to talk.” Cora told him, still smiling along with Boyd.

Stiles breathed in his inhaler, “Yeah sure.” He wheezed, “You know text messaging is pretty simple, so is calling, or you know, coming to my place!” he whispered-screamed. He clutched his chest in pain as his breathing started to level out. “What is this about?”

Boyd stared at Cora a for a bit, “Cora and I were with the others, we thought you were over reacting to Blake, till Cora started to get nightmares again.”

Stiles looked at Cora, he had noticed that Cora had a bit more make up on under her eyes, she looked a little more peaked than usual. “What kind of nightmares?”

“What do you think?” She asked sarcastically, arms crossed.

Stiles nodded, he should have known. “You’re having nightmares about the fire.” He tapped his forehead thinking of the Hale arson report. “You remembered the scent? Do you remember the type of accelerant they used?”

Boyd cleared his throat, “They didn’t use a accelerant.”

Stiles shook his head, taken back. “How-what the hell makes you say that? Every fire needs an accelerant to burn a fire faster. Arson 101.”

Boyd didn’t even batter an eye, he didn’t even look annoyed at Stiles’ snarky attitude. “You honestly think the Argents would use an accelerant that werewolves could smell?”

Stiles thought back at the report and how the insurance agent responsible for reporting the arson was killed by Peter.

Boyd had a point. “Than what did they use?”

Boyd shrugged, “Tinder.”

Stiles shook his head, clearly confused and frustrated, “What?”

Cora rolled her eyes, pressing her lips together before answering him, “They used pine and birch oil. It was fall, and we lived in the woods. We wouldn’t have been able to really tell till they struck the match.”

Stiles could sense the fear and anger in Cora’s face and voice. To come face to face with woman who killed your family was one thing, to relive and see said woman dating your brother was another. “You can smell the oil on her?”

Cora shook her hear ‘no’, “That wasn’t it.” She sniffed; Stiles could see her brown eyes start to tear up. “Someone carried me out, I-I think it was my brother.”

“I thought Derek wasn’t at home?” Stiles asked confused.

Cora made a small hmm sound, agreeing with him, “My other brother was. Erik was the oldest from all of us. I remember him carrying me out and laying me against a tree and it smelled like leather and Chanel of all things. It was a odd scent, I always thought my mom made it, she wore Chanel.” The small sad smile went as soon as it came, Cora’s eyes hardened the next second, “Blake let us go through her closet, some clothing swamp she thought we would enjoy.” Her eyes glowed gold, bright and deadly, “That same scent was there, that _exact_ same scent.” Her voice cracked, Stiles and Boyd didn’t wait to get to her as she started to cry. She pushed them aside, “No, get off.”

“Cora.” Boyd stated, but the younger girl stopped him with a just a look.

“I’m fine.” She lied as she wiped away the tears. She looked at them with like a person with nothing to lose, “I know she helped kill my family.” she admitted, she ran her tongue alongside her cheek mulling over her choices, “I-I know she did. That-that smell, ever since then my nightmares are becoming more vivid.” Cora confessed.

Stiles made an attempt to hold her hand; he gave a silent thank you when Cora didn’t pull away, “You’re remembering the fire better.”

Cora gave a short disgusted snort, “Six years late.”

“Better late than never.” Boyd stated. “Problem is we can’t just kill her.” He looked at Stiles, “How much dirt do you have on Blake?”

Stiles stepped back, becoming rather shifty with how Boyd was staring at him. “What makes you think that I would just-”

“Stiles.” Boyd’s eyes glowed.

“Enough to know she’s shady but not enough evidence to prove she is a threat.” Stiles answered quickly. He sighed in relief when he noticed the relief and joy on the two, “You guys knew I would go looking into her?”

Cora and Boyd looked at each other before looking at him, somehow Stiles felt as he were being treated like a five year old. “If it makes you feel any better, you’re not crazy like we thought you were.” Boyd teased as he pushed Stiles towards the door, Cora smiling through her tears as she followed them out the door.

_Derek Hale's Condo…_

Officer Jones wasn’t sure about this. As far as the station was the concerned Derek Hale had no occupation to speak of. She wasn’t looking forward to sitting in her car alone stalking a man who did nothing.

When she got to his place she noticed Blake’s car in the apartment’s parking lot. “I spoke too soon.” She mumbled as she flinched and looked up at the building, no reports called in about the Hale residence since she left the station. The Sheriff would kill her if anything happened to Derek.

Jones pressed her ear against his door, not hearing much. She pounded the door, “Derek Hale?”

The door opened only to reveal Jennifer Blake, ‘ _Oh damn_.’ Jones thought as she took in Blake disheveled state, clearly she had interrupted _something_. Blake had sex hair, along with a smug and happy smile, along with that that she had on what appeared to be Derek Hale’s shirt. ‘ _God, what a cliché_.’ Jones thought, Derek Hale was sleeping with the supposed enemy? She almost felt sorry for the fool.

“Um, yes? Can I help you?” Blake asked sweetly, her eyes though said otherwise.

Jones didn’t bother with pleasantries, “Is Derek Hale here?”

Blake smiled, a blush on her cheeks, “He’s showering, he’s had a long and tiring afternoon.” She bit her lip, fingering the top of Derek’s shirt.

Jones’ raised a brow and made a face, “I bet.” She quipped, not hiding any of her disgust.

Blake’s face hardened, she stepped closer making Jones step back. “Could I help you with something?” she asked arms folded and defensive.

“No, I just wanted to speak with Derek Hale.”

“What about? Is he in trouble?”

“No,” Jones lied, she didn’t want Blake and Derek to pester Stiles and blow their chance at what Blake was really up to. But she also didn’t want to give Blake a chance to see any cracks in her guise. “I’m just an old friend from high school.” Which was more than believable, she and Hale were just a year apart. “I didn’t know he moved back into town. Hoping to see a friendly face.” She gave a closed lip smile.

Blake studied her for a moment, leaning against the door frame, “Where were you before? Derek has been in Beacon Hills for almost a year now.”

Jones took note on the fact that Blake knew how long Derek was in Beacon Hills, either she already knew or Derek told her. “I was living in Chico but I had to move back when my mom took a turn for the worse.” Jones continued to lie, never breaking her gaze with Blake. “I’ll come back at a better time I guess.”

Blake made a unintelligible noise, “At least you could leave your name. Or should I just say a deputy from the Sheriffs’ office came by?” asked knowingly.

Jones didn’t care to take the bait, she smiled politely. “Of course, you can tell him that his buddy Monty from Black Rabbit wanted to see him.” She gave a small wave, “He’ll know what it means.”

She wasn’t surprised at all when Blake slammed the door hard behind her. Jones was two steps away when she smelled something familiar; she turned around and looked at the door, brushing her fingers alongside the outer frame. The dust that came on her fingers was familiar. ‘ _Oak ash_.’  She continued to run her fingers up the frame and met with something greasy. ‘ _Shit.’_ She knew the scent before she brought her hands close by her. ‘ _Shit’_ She thought again as she bagged whatever she could and left in a hurry, pulling out her phone in the process. “Lieutenant Shonda?” she gave one final look at the apartment as she got into her car, abandoning her post for something bigger and scarier. “I found something that you and the Sheriff are not going to like.”  


End file.
